Automatic train stop



Sept. 30 1924. 1,510,320

A. HAMILTON AUTOMATIG TRAIN STOP Filed Aug. 2 8. 1925 Patented Sept. 30,1924.

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ABRAHAM HAMILTON, O33" CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

Application filed August 28, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM HAMILTON, a citizen of the Dominion ofCanada, residing at Calgary, in the Province of Alberta, Dominion ofCanada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticTrain Stops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in train stoppingdevices, and particularly to devices by means of which a flagman maycause the automatic stopping of a train when approaching a danger zone.

Another object is to provide a simple and novel track device by means ofwhich the pilot of the locomotive actuates means for opening a valve,located on one of the cars of the train, for exhausting air from thetrain pipe, for the purpose of applying the brakes of the train.

A further object is to provide a simple device of this character whichis readily portable so that it may be quickly and eas ily placed on theties of a railway for op eration by the approaching locomotive.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a locomotive and car,showing the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the car,showing the position of the cord and air valve, as well as the trip.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the track device which is engaged bythe pilot of the locomotive.

Figure 4: is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view through thedevice shown in Figure 8.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents theties and 11 the rails of a railway, with which are associated the pilot12, of a locomotive, and a portion ofa car of the train 13. 7

On the car 13 is located a valve 14 which is properly connected, by thepipe 15, with the train line 16, said valve'having a cord 17 connectedtherewith and extending downwardly through the floor of the car andlaterally of the car. through a conduit or casing 18, a portion of thecord being exposed,

The normal move the arm 30 so that the arm 27 will be Serial No.659,816.

in a horizontal portion position, as shown at 17. This exposed portionof the cord is adapted to be engaged and pulled by a means to be nowdescribed, whereby the valve will be opened, to reduce the air pressurein the train pipe to such a degree as to apply the brakes and bring thetrain to a stop.

The means adapted for opening the valve is portable, and is adapted tobe placed in position on the ties, between the rails, by a flagman, toserve as a means for stopping a train approaching a Zone of danger, andto obviate the passage of the train by the signal flag of the fiagman.

This means includes a member, designated as a whole by the numeral 19,which is removably secured to a tie in the path of the pilot of thelocomotive oi": the approaching train, and a means 20, placed on theties at a distance from the member 19, but in the direction of theapproaching train.

The member 19 comprises a base block 21 which is formed with an opening22 through which is passed the spike 23, which spike is driven into thetie to such an extent as to hold the block against being jarred from thetie by the vibration of the aimroaching train but which will be readilywithdrawn when the pilot of the engine engages with the loop to bereferred to later herein. Mounted 011 the block 21 is a verticallyextending loop member 24, which is adapted to be engaged by the pointedfront end of the pilot 12, and by means of which the loop is movedforwardly. Similarly secured to the ties, at the point indicated at 20,is a base block 25 having a supporting bracket 26 on its upper face,adjacent one end, and hinged to the base block is an arm 27, which. whenin vertical position, is stopped by said bracket. Adjacent the bracketor block 26 the base block has a cavity 28 formed therein, and pivotallysupported in this cavity, and projecting upwardly through alongitudinally slotted plate 29 secured over the cavity, is an arm 30,said arm having its free end held in engagement with the hinged arm 27by means of the spring 31, connected to the arm 30 and to one end of thecavity. tendency of the spring 31 is to thrown upwardly against the stopblock 26. The outer end of the arm 27 is formed with a longitudinallyextending central finger 32, and the pair of hooks 33 arranged at thesides of the finger and inwardly thereof, said hooks being arranged toextend in a direction toward the approaching train, when the arm is invertical position, for the purpose of engaging with the horizontalportion 17 of the valve cord. In the other end of the base block thereis formed a central longitudinal lug 34:, on which the said finger 32 isarranged to rest, when the arm 27 is in lowered or horizontal position.Around the finger 32, and the lug 34, when thus engaged, is disposed aring 85, which is carried by one end of a chain 36, said chain havingits other end secured to the before-mentioned loop 24. Thus, when thepilot of the locomotive engages with the loop 24 the base will wrenchthe spike 23 from the tie resulting in the chain being pulled to drawthe ring 35 completely from the finger 32 and the lug 3 L, therebypermitting the spring to draw the arm and swing the arm 27 upwardlyagainst the stop block 26, and in position for its hooks 33 to engagethe portion 17 of the valve cord, and thereby open the valve and reducethe air pressure in the tram pipe, with the consequent stopping of thetrain, in time to avoid an accident.

Ordinarily when a train stops for a period of time greater thanintended, or when a train has met with an accident of some characternecessitating its stand on the track, and another train is due to passon the same track, the flagman runs up the track to signal to theapproaching train that there is danger of collision ahead. It oftenhappens that this signal is disregarded or not seen by the engineer ofthe ap proaching train, with the result that the train crashes into therear of the standing train. It is the purpose of the present inventionto provide the flagman with the members 19 and 20, which, when he wishesto stop a second approaching train, runs up the track, secures themembers at their proper distance apart, on the ties, between the rails,after which he draws the arm 27 down and secures the same by means ofthe ring 35. Then, when the train approaches, the pilot of thelocomotive will strike the loop 24, giving the chain a sudden jerk todraw the ring 35 from the lu 34: and linger 32. Immediately the arm 27flies into ver tical position, and when the train passes over the arm,the hooks 33 engage the portion 17 of the valve cord, opening the valveand causing the application of the brakes of the train.

What is claimed is:

1. A train stopping mechanism including a track device comprising meansfor projection into the path of a train carried valve operating means,means secured to a tie and arranged to be engaged by a train anddetached from the tie, and a connection between the train engaging meansand the first-named means for releasably holding said means out of theath of the valve operating means.

2. A train stopping mechanism comprising a track device including an armarranged to be projected into the path of a train carried valveoperating means, means secured to a tie and arranged to be easilydisengaged therefrom by the pilot of a locomotive, and a flexibleelement carried by the ilot actuated means arranged to releasa )ly holdthe said arm out of the path of the valve opera-ting means 8. A trainstopping mechanism comprising a track device includingan arm normallyurged into the path of a train carried valve operating means, means forholding the arm releasably out of the path of the valve operating means,means arranged to be engaged and moved by the pilot-of a locomotive, andconnections between the lastnamed means and the arm holding means forwithdrawing the holding means upon actuation of the pilot moved means.

i. A train stopping mechanism comprising a track device including a basearranged to be temporarily secured to a railway tie, means carried bythe base and normally urged into vertical position to engage a traincarried valve operating means, the last-named means being movable intohorizontal position, means engaged with the base and the first-namedmeans for holding said means in such position, and a pilot operablemeans connected with the holding means for withdrawing the latter torelease the first means. i

5. A train stopping mechanism comprising a track device including abase, an arm normally spring urged into vertical position for engagementwith a train carried valve operating means, a pro ection on the arm, apro ection on the base, a retaining ring releasably engaged with theprojections for holding the arm in horizontal position, a second base, apilot engageableloop on the second base, and a flexible elementconnected with the loop and with the ring for withdrawing the ring uponactuation of the loop by a pilot.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my sigma-- of two witnesses.

ture, in the presence ABE HAMILTON. Witnesses L. CrR. SOUTER,

H. J. NOLAN.

